The Next Internet - Part 4 - Redefinition of Computing

[Disclaimer: This blog is formatted to show newer stories first, and that generally makes sense, unless your writing a series with parts that build on each other. So please go back and read Part 1,2&3. Some of you may want to be cowboys and dive straight into part 4. I don't know if it'll make much sense, but enjoy.]

The redefinition of mobile computing is potentially the Tipping Point for the Next Internet. Although many of the [most difficult] aforementioned technological innovations will have to take place before mobile computing will truly be redefined; the redefinition will both be a stabilizing force insofar as integrating all the key factors, but will also be the crux in unleashing its true potential.

Hardware

Let us first begin by discussing what the future of mobile computing will look like. When the idea first came to mind, I described my Eureka moment to a friend as such: [pointing at my phone] "this will be your life," [pointing at my blue tooth headset] "this will be your phone."

There will no longer be a difference between a notebook computer and a cell phone [ I might even go so far as to argue that there won't be much distinction between desktop and notebook, except for very high-end machines]. In fact, the cellphone as a separate entity will cease to exist. You will be carrying around the power of today's desktop computer, and then some, in the palm of your hand. Cell phone calls will be carried over VOIP, much like Skype is used today. All you will need is your Bluetooth (or whatever the standard of the day shall be) headset to voice-dial, accept calls, and make appointments. [I'm sure that at this point the headset will potentially be redefined as well]

The text message will essentially be a thing of the past. It will be replaced by any form of communication that takes place on the net today, as everyone will be online 24/7. Either IM, twitter, tumblr, status updates. In fact, since there will no longer be a distinction between asynchronous and synchronous communication, there will be an invetiable a fusion between all of the previous communication forms and e-mail.

How is this all possible? It all goes back to the technological advances we discussed previously.

• The advancement of Moore's law via current and new methods (quantum and organic computing) will allow for a device as small as current mobile phones to pack twice the punch of today's notebooks.
  
• The critical factors will then be solving the tremendous amount of heat produced as these chips shrink and providing them with enough energy.
  
• We already outlined two potential solution to the energy problem. Either the emergence of new fuel cells that can either internally recharge or use the elements in the air itself to recharge, or many other innovations being explored in this field; or, the emergence of wireless electricity (see link in previous post), allowing devices to recharge without being plugged in when in range of the electrical transmitter. Wireless electricity is the most beneficial solution, as it further reduces the size of the device because a smaller battery can be used.
• As far as the heat problem, there is already a tremendous amount of progress in this area See here.
  
• The emergence of cloud computing will remove the need for a hard-drive installed within the device. Thus this further reduces product size, battery consumption, and increases mobility. [It also increases the importance of being connected at all times. Small Flash drives boasting high capacity will probably be included as emergency and backup storage].

The Holographic Touch Screen


Kate Moss Hologram Runway Show for Alexander Mcqueen

This is definitely where it begins to sound Trekkie, but it really is a lot more realistic than it seems (see video above), and it will be the most important factor in the redefinition of mobile computing. Imagine a device as small as today's mobile phones producing an image as crisp as a 20" LCD [already you may be seeing how television will be transformed as well]. No need for the IPhone's creative way of showing web pages. In fact, no need for any of the site's that are specifically tailored to the mobile web. The Next Internet will also be the Unified Net and the innovation of the holographic scree, which will drive the innovation of Mobile Computing, will be The Tipping Point.

The touchscreen functionality is actually even simpler, and it even exists today. Optical sensors, integrated with the holographic image renderer, will be able to tell what part of the screen (in thin air) that you are pressing. I presume an optical keyboard much like the one available today will also be used, although wireless peripherals may still be used in the home. Furthermore, the rise in voice-to-text accuracy will do away with much of the need for day to day keyboard use.

Finally, this device will incorporate biometrics, most likely in the form of fingerprint recognition, but there is also the potential for voice, and even iris scanning ( and eventually DNA and other forms). This will be crucial in safeguarding all the data that your new true all-in-one device can access, as well as in allowing this new device (which hereto shall be referred to as IFuture) to take on the many transformative uses that I envision.

I have decided to end this post here, and to use the next post to describe the transformation that this new IFuture will create. In that discussion we will look at the future of Television as well. The final post (or maybe two posts) will discuss what the web will look like in the New Internet as well as some interesting things that will emerge from it all. I apologize for continually stretching out the series, but I do it for the reader's enjoyment as otherwise the post's would get too long. Chew slowly and enjoy.